26th January is Australia Day - How Australian Are You?

26th January was Australia Day, the day when we celebrate what it is to be Australian, enjoying time with family and friends, and celebrating multi-culturalism, and everything that makes Australia the wonderful place it is to live.  

On Australia Day lots of Aussies celebrate with barbecue (BBQs), go to the beach, play sport, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy fireworks if they are being held in their city.  The Australia Day Awards are also presented to Australians and groups who have contributed significantly to our country and communities, and there are also Citizenship ceremonies for those migrants who are wishing to become Australian citizens today.

 Surrounded by ocean we live in a landscape that is very diverse from snow capped mountains to deserts. We also have unique plants and wildlife. And we live in relative safety and can enjoy fresh air and wide open spaces, whilst enjoying everything that a mix of cultures brings with it.

 Please click here to discover how Australia you are....

How to make a simple paper flower

  It is January and while the Northern Hemisphere is in the depths of winter, the Southern Hemisphere (where I live} is in the depths of summer. In both cases the best place to stay warm or cool and out of the elements is indoors. And whilst I would like to just sit down with a book, I need to keep busy. So I have a project for you that you might like to try - how to make simple paper flowers.

Back in December I shared with you how to make a paper wreath out of old book pages - if you missed it you can check it out by clicking here - How to make a paper wreath

 At the same time I made paper flowers - some were made out of old book pages and some from craft paper.  So easy! Would you like to give it a go? 
If you don't like the idea of cutting up old books think of it as up-cycling and giving them a new lease on life. 

 Please click here for instructions on how to make paper flowers...
 

Hello 2017!

As so here we are 2017 already! amazing. I wonder what 2017 will bring.  

Before I start this post I want to share a little pic of what many Australians do on New Years Day - go to the beach of course! Yesterday we spent the day with our extended family at my sister's summer beach house.  How did you spend your New Years Day?

 
Do you make New Year resolutions? I'm not going to make any outlandish New Year resolutions. But I do hope to travel more, photograph more, write more, exercise more, eat more healthy, listen, be still, spend more time with family and friends, and be brave to put "myself out there". This last one probably means being brave to take new opportunities that come along which may test me and take me out of my comfort zone. It might also mean taking a risk and exposing myself to critique by entering a few photography competitions.

But for today I send a prayer for PEACE throughout our troubled world, and a prayer that people will be kinder and more tolerant of others despite their race, creed, abilities, looks, financial status.... whatever. We all have a story, and we don't know all of the story of those around us. As they say, we can't walk in the shoes of others. So please don't judge, don't try to push your beliefs onto others. Just try to be a good person, listen, be open, and try to understand. 

The last couple of days I've been playing around with what I hesitantly call "fine art photography". I know it isn't for everyone, and I know I have a long way to go. But I hope to experiment more with fine art photography in 2017. 

Please click here to see my slant on fine art...